Drill steel centralizer



R. P. DELLNER DRILL 'STEEL CENTRALIZER March 25, 1958 Filed March 12, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 25, 1958 R. P. DELLNER 2,828,109

' DRILL STEEL CENTRALIZER Filed March 12, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. RAYMOND F? DEL L NE R v A rroffwfy DRILL STEEL CENTRALIZER Raymond P. Dellner, North Dlrnsted, Ohi'o, assignor, by

rnesne assignments, to Westinghouse Air Brake Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 12, 1953, Serial No.34l,972 12 Claims. ((1255-51) l This invention relates broadly to rock drills, but more particularly to improvements in rock rdrill steel centrahzers.

With rock drills of the drifter type, that is, rock drills slidably mounted on a support for guided movement thereon, it becomes important for the drilled hole to be started coaxially with the center axis of the rock drill. Such perfect alignment is necessary to assure subsequent free drilling without danger of the drill steel becoming lodged in a hole started out of line or offset from the center axis Vof the rock drill. ln order to hold the drill steel coaxially with the rock drill, the latter is provided with an auxiliary guiding device or drill steel centralizer, generally mounted on the front end of the support and capable of opening or swinging out of the path of the rock drill as the drilling operation progresses.

One object of this invention is the provision of a drill atent steel centralizer of the character stated which is simple in construction and etticient in action and which can readily be shifted into operative or inoperative positions.

Another object of this invention is to provide a centralizer with its drill steel guiding ends shiftable into operative or inoperative positions by a remote control preferably located at easy reach of the rock drill operator.

Another object of this invention is to provide a centralizer with means for locking its drill guiding ends in operative `or inoperative positions, the locking means being characterized by relatively large interengaging surfaces adapted to resist Wear from the load to which they are subjected especially during the operative lposition of the centralizer.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple linkage between the arms of the centralizer through which movement of one into operative or inoperative position is automatically transmitted to the other.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts, and wherein: l

, Figure 1 is a side view of a mounted rock drill embodying the invention.

Figures 2 and 3 are enlarged cross sectional views taken on line 2-2 in Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the centralizer in diierent positions.

VFigure 4 is'an enlarged front view of the lower end of the rock drill support shown in Figure 1 but with the centralizer opened as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on line 5- 5 in Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows. g Y Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken on line 6-6 Vin Figure 4 but showing the centralizer closed.

4Figure V7 is a partial View corresponding to Figure 6 but with the centralizer opened.

Figure 8 is an enlarged side view of the link end of one of the centralizer arms; Figure 9 is a top plan view 2,828,109 Patented Mar. 25, 1958 2 thereof and Figure 10 is the top plan View of of the other arm.

Figure l1 is an enlarged side view of the centralizer as shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the rock drill support is shown to include a wheel supported frame 15 carrying a drill guiding frame 16 pivotally movable relative thereto by a suitable actuating mechanism 17. The drill guiding frame is preferably made ofr two relatively long channel bars 18 mountedback to back in spaced but parallel relation, with the upper sides'thereof as seen in Figures 2 and 3 forming longitudinal guides 19. A rock drill 20 has a base 21 formed with guideways fitting closely over the guides 19, thereby enabling longitudinal guided move-l ment of the rock drill on the frame 18;A The rock drill 20 is of thev usual type, preferably actuated by compressed air for delivering impacts'in'rapid succession to a drill steel 22 which extendstherefrom as clearly shown in Figure l.

As previously stated', in order to start the drilled hole coaxially with the center axis of the rock drill 20 as well as maintain the drill steel in that aligned position during the drilling operation, the front or lower end of the drillguiding frame 18 is provided with an improved drill steel centralizer comprising two arms 23 and 24. The upper or outer ends of the arms as seen in Figure 2, are shaped like half tubular sections 25 extending longitudinally to form two semi-circular drill steel guiding ends 26 adapted to substantially surround the drill steel 22 to maintain it coaxialiy with the center axis of the rock drill 20.

Acting as a spacer between the front or lower ends of the channels 18 as seen in Figure l, is a front head 27 secured therein by two cross bolts 2S and 29 clearly shown in Figure 5. From the channel bars 18, this front head extends longitudinally in the form of a deep U shaped portion having transversal side walls 30 and 31, and a bottom wall 32, the'side walls being united at their upper ends by two laterally spaced bridges 14. The side wall 31 is also provided with integral laterally extending longitudinally apertured lugs 33 and 34, the former acting as a bearing for one end of a shaft 3S which has its other end similarly supported in a lug 36 secured to one of the channel bars 18 by the cross bolt 29. Intermediate its ends, the arm 23 is formed with a hub portion 37 tted on the shaft 35 and secured thereto by a set screw 38. One end of the hub 37 engages the inner side of the lug 33 while the other end is spaced from the lug 36 by a collar 39. The other apertured lug 34 also serves as a rotating and sliding bearing for one end portion of an actuator or rod 40, which rod extends inwardly alongside of the drill guiding frame 18 and is mounted thereon by apertured lugs such as 41 secured to one of the channel bars r18 by the cross bolt 28. As shown Athe rod 40 is relatively short, but when drilling horizontally, in order to enable operation of the centralizer from any place along the entire drilling apparatus, the rod 40 is made to extend the full length of the drill guiding frame 18. In such event, the lugs 41 which support the rod arespaced at regular intervals along the ICC the end entire length of the rod and are located below the guides 19 out of the path of the rock drill 20. The rod 40 can be of any desired length calculated to bring a handle 42, fixed on the rod adjacent the other end thereof, at the easy reach of the rock drill operator.

Intermediate its ends, the arm 24 is also provided with a hub portion 43 fixed on the rod 40 by a set screw 44. This hub 43 is located on the rod 4o opposite the hub of the arm 23, and is urged into end engagement with the underside of the'apertured lug 34 by a compres- Y 3 sionspring 45 mounted on the rod 40 between the hub 43 and apertured lug 41 shown in Figure 5.

Below their pivotal connections with the support or drill guiding vframe 18, the arms 23 and -24 have inner ends in the form of laterally and inwardly projecting tail pieces 46 and 47 respectively, overlapping eaohV other with the tail piece 46 nearest ,to theside wall 31 of the front head 27, and the tail piece 47 longitudinally movable between the tail 46Vand the side wall 30, as clearly shown in Figure 5. These inner ends or tail pieces are interconnected by a simpleV linkage comprising an open-ended slot 48 for the tail 46V in whichA fits a crosspin 49 fixed to andextending longitudinally from the end portion of the tail47. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the base of the pin 49 is formed by a raised rectangular pad 50 of a width equal to the diameter of the `pin and, when the arms are closed as in Figure 6, adapted to also t in the slot 4S of thetail piece 46.L

fIn the side Wall 31gof the U shaped portion of the front-head 27, are twoY drilled holes or 'sockets 51 and 52,'one above the other,'in whichithe free end of the pin 49 is adapted to drop for locking the arms 23 and 24 in either opened or closed positions. v

Above their pivotal connections with the support, theV arms 23 and 24 are ofthe same shape and` siz`e, so that in their closed or-operative position as shown in Figures 2 and 6, the semi-circulardrill steel guiding ends 26 are concentric and adapted to surround the drill steel 22V in guiding relation therewith. In this operative position of the arms 23 and 24, the tails 46 and 47 are positioned as shown in Figures and 6, that is, -with the pad 50 and a portion ofthe pin 49 in the slot 48, and with the free end of the pin 49 in the socket 51, thereby preventing pivotal movement of the arm 24 by Vvirtue yof its pin 49 inthe socket 5l and of the arm 23 by virtue of the pad 50 and pin 49 in the slot 48. In this position of the arms, the compressionspring 4S maintains the tails 46 and 47 in overlappingengagement and the hub 43V against the inner side of the lug 34.

As theA drilled hole is started generally on an uneven surface, the drill steel 22 is subjected to lateral Vforces causing it to bear against the drill guiding ends 26 and tending to open the arms 23 and 24. This accidental opening of the arm 24 is prevented bythe pin 49 in the socket 5l, `and ofthe arm 23 bythe pin 49 and pad Sil in the slot 43 of thetail piece 46. It will be noted that this locking means Voffers relatively large wear resistingV surfaces between the pin 49 and socket 51, and between the pad 50 and slot 48.

When it is desired to open `or shift the centralizer intothe position shown in Figure 3, the operator will pull onthe handle 42 Yfixed on the rod 40, causing the rod and the arm 24 fixed thereon to move axially inward until the tail piece 47' contacts the stop or side wall 3@ of the front head 27. As the arm 24 is moved inwardly, the pad 56 will move'out-of ithe slot 4S and the pin 49 out of `the socket 51 while remaining in the slot 48. Thereafter the handle 42 isrturned downwardly, causing the rod 40 and arm 24 to rotate in a clockwise direction in Figure 6-and simultaneously the arm 23, by virtue of the pin .49 in the slot"48, to rotate in the opposite direction. This rotationroif the arms islimited by the tail piece 46 engaging one of the bridges .14, as clearly shown in Figure 7, which engagement is calculated to bring-the pin 49 into register with the socket 52. Upon release of the handle 42, the compression spring 45 acting on the hub 43 will drive the iarm 24 forwardly with the pin 49 into the socket 52, thereby locking the arms in the opened or inoperative position asshown in Figures V3 and 4." En this last position ofthe arms,- the pad Sil lies across the slot 48 Vand is not effective in locking the arms. As clearly shown in Figure 3,`it will be understoodin vtheir out of drill guiding position, the Yarms 23 and 24 are spaced suicientlyto enablefree travel of the..front end of the rock drill between them as the rock drill base 21 reaches the lower end in Figure l of its travel on the support 16, thereby enabling maximum travel of the rock drill on its support.

With reference to Figure 7, it will be seen that the arms are locked in open or inoperative position by the pin 49 in the socket 52 and slot 43, therpadV 5) now lying across the slot 4S. However, in this new positionof the arms, the pin while having rotated about 90 in the slot, is also deeper in the slot,.thereby resulting in the interengaging locking Vsurfaces being dierent for the operative and inoperative positions ofthe arms. Y

When it is desired to reset or close the centralizer, the above described operation is repeated in reversed order. In this instance, when the drill guiding ends 26 contact the drill steel, the pin 49 is into register with the socket 5l.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the invention provides for an improved drill steel centralizer whereinswinging motion of one of its-arms is automatically Vand simultaneously transmitted to the other through a simple linkage between the arms, which linkage also serves as a lockingdevice having different interengaging locking surfaces of kgreater effective-area during the operative than Vduring the inoperative position of the centralizer, and that the centralizer is operable from the normal rock drill operating position of the operator.

- Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character, in order to completely set forth Vthe invention, it is to be understood that the speciiic terminology is not intended to be restrictive `or confining and it is to be further understoodthat various rearrangements of parts and modiication of structural detail maybe resorted to Without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

l. A drill'steel centralizer comprising a support and a pair of arms pivoted'thereon with one arm axially movable on its pivotal axis relative to the other, cooperating drill steel guiding means on one end of said arms movable into and out ofoperative position upon pivotal movement of said arms, a pin on the other end of said axially movable arm fitted ina slot in theother vend of the other arm through which pivotal movement of onev arm is automatically transmitted -to the other, Vlocking means for holding said Varms in operative position ofsaid guiding means including a socketin said supportrengaged by said pin and a pad yon Vsaid pin carrying arm non-rotatably fitted in said slot,"said locking means being releasable upon the axial movement of said one arm.

2. In a drill centralizer, a support, a-pairof guide arms pivotally mountedron the support having'outer ends adapted to swing toward and from one another into and out of steel guiding position; one of said karms being axially movable on itsrpivotal axis relative to the other, a pin and slot connection between the inner ends of said arms through which'pivotal movementof kone arm is transmitted to the other in opposite direction, and a socket in the support adapted to receive the pin ofsaid connection upon axial movement of said one arm for locking said' arms in steel guiding position. f

3. Ina drill centralizer, a support, a pair of guide arms Y pivotally mounted on thesupport-having outer ends adap.

ted to swing toward and from one another into and o ut of steel guiding'position, one of said arms being axially movable on its pivotal axis, a pin and slot` connection between the inner ends of said arms through which pivotal movement of onerarm is transmittedtorthe other inoopposite direction, theV pin Vof said connectionbeingxed on said axially movable arm, a socket in the support adapted to `receive said pin to locksaid arms in steel guiding position, spring means urging said pin into said socket, and means alongside o f said support connected to said axially movable arm to manually releasesaid pin -from said socket.V "f

4. Ink a drill ,centralizen'asupportya pair of guide arms pivotally mountedron the support having outer ends of said one arm to lock it and the 4other by virtue of saidV connection into steel guiding position, spring means urging said one arm into pin and socket interengaging position,

and stop means on the support limiting axial movement ofk said one arm into pin out of socket position while retaining said pin in a slot connection.

5. In a drill steel centralizer, a support, a pair of guide arms pivotally connected to the support having outer ends adapted to swing into and out of drill guiding position, a pin in a slot connection between the inner ends of said arms preventing relative pivotal movement therebetween, and socket means on the support adapted to receive the pin of said connection for locking said Iarms into drill guiding position.

6. In a drill, a support, a pair of guide arms pivotally connected to the support for movement of one end of said arms toward and from one another into and out of steel guiding position, means on said support carrying one of said :arms for axial movement on its pivotal axis relative to the other, spring means urging said one arm axially in one direction, a linkage between the inner ends of said arms through which pivotal movement of one arm is transmitted to the other in opposite directions, and means on the support cooperating with said linkage upon axial movement of said one arm in said one direction for locking said arms in steel guiding position.

7. In a drill steel centralizer, a support, a pair of guide arms pivotally connected to the support having a first end adapted to swing'into and out of drill steel guiding position, an arbor fixed to one of said arms carried by the support for rotation on its own axis, interengaging means between the second ends of said arms through which pivotal movement of said one arm is transmitted to the other in opposite direction, said arbor being manually rotatable to swing the rst ends of said arms into and out of drill steel guiding position.

8. In a drill steel centralizer, a support, a pair of guide arms pivotally connected to the support on parallel axes and having one end portion adapted to swing into and out of drill steel guiding position, pieces forming the other endportions of said arms extending toward each other in overlapped relationship within parallel planes perpendicular to said axes, and interengaging means on said pieces transmitting pivotal movement of one arm to the other in opposite directions.

9. In a drill steel centralizer, a support, a pair of guide arms pivotally connected to the support on parallel axes and having one end portion adapted to swing into and out of drill steel guiding position,`pieces forming the other end portions of said armsextending toward each other in overlapped relationship within parallel planes perpendicular to said axes, and a pin and slot connection on said pieces arranged in a manner whereby pivotal movement of one of said arms is transmitted to the other in opposite directions.

10. In a drill steel centralizer, a support, a pair of guide arms pivotally connected to the support on parallel axes and having one end portion adapted to swing into and out of drill steel guiding position, pieces forming the other end portions of said arms extending toward each other in overlapped relationship within parallel planes perpendicular to said axes, a pin on one of said pieces fitted within a slot on the other piece in a manner whereby pivotal movement of one of said arms is transmitted to the other in opposite directions, said pin being axially slidable through said slot, and socket means on the support adapted to receive said pin upon its slidable movement through said slot to lock said arms against pivotal movement.

11. In a drill centralizer, a support, a pair of guide arms pivotally connected to said support at a place inters mediate the ends of said arms, one end of said arms adapted to swing into and out of drill steel guiding position, land interconnecting means between the other ends of said arms and said support for locking said arms into said drill steel guiding position.

12. In a drill steel centralizer, a support, first and second guide arms connected to the support having one end thereof adapted to move into and out of drill guiding position, a rst and Ia second means xed on the other ends of said rst and second arms respectively, and a third means integral with said support cooperating with said first and second means for locking said arms into drill guiding position.

VReferences Cited in the le of this patent t UNITED STATES PATENTS 

